How to Create Multiple QuickBooks Customers at Once (The Easy Way)

Managing customers in QuickBooks doesn’t have to be time-consuming—especially when you’re adding multiple customers at once. Instead of manually creating each customer in QuickBooks, you can bulk upload them in just a few steps.

In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to quickly add new customers using a simple file upload. Whether you’re importing a few customers or hundreds, this method will save you tons of time.

Why Bulk Upload Customers in QuickBooks?

If you’re managing a growing business, manually creating a customer in QuickBooks one by one can feel like a never-ending task.

Here’s why bulk uploading customers makes life easier:

• Save time: Uploading a single file takes minutes compared to creating customers one by one.
• Avoid errors: Using a template ensures consistent and accurate data.
• Stay organized: Quickly import customer lists, like vendors, retail partners, or clients, and keep your QuickBooks updated.

Now, let’s get into the step-by-step process.

Step 1: Start in the QuickBooks Dashboard

First, log in to your QuickBooks account. We’re going to navigate to the Sales section where your customer data lives.

• Go to Sales on the left-hand menu.
• Click on Customers to open your customer list.

At the top of the page, next to the New Customer button, you’ll see a small dropdown arrow. Click it and select Import Customers.

Step 2: Download the Sample File

Before you can upload your customers, you’ll need to use QuickBooks’ sample Excel template.

• In the Import Customers section, QuickBooks will give you the option to download a sample file.
• This file acts as a template and ensures your data is formatted correctly for QuickBooks.

The template includes columns for fields like:

• Customer Name
• Company Name
• Email
• Phone Number
• Address

Pro Tip: If you’re unsure about what data to include, start with just a few customers as a test.

Step 3: Fill Out the Template

Once you download the sample file, open it in Excel (or Google Sheets). You’ll see several rows and columns already set up.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Delete the sample data in the file (you don’t want to upload this).
2. Fill in your customer details. For example:

• Customer name: ABC Retailers
• Company: ABC Retailers LLC
• Email: info@abcretail.com
• Phone: (123) 456-7890

You can add as many customers as you need—just keep the columns consistent. Once your file is filled in, save it in an easy-to-find location.

Step 4: Upload Your Customer List into QuickBooks

Now that your file is ready, let’s upload it back into QuickBooks.

1. Return to the Import Customers screen in QuickBooks.
2. Click the Browse button and locate your saved file.
3. Once you select your file, click Next to move forward.

Step 5: Map Your Data (QuickBooks Does Most of the Work)

At this stage, QuickBooks will ask you to map the columns in your Excel file to fields in QuickBooks.

The good news? If you used the template file QuickBooks provided, this step is already done for you!

• QuickBooks automatically matches fields like “Customer Name” and “Email” to its system.
• If you customized your file, you’ll just need to confirm which column belongs to each QuickBooks field.

Click Next once everything looks good.

Step 6: Import Your Customers

You’re almost done! QuickBooks will now show you a preview of the customers it’s about to import.

• Double-check the customer details to ensure everything is correct.
• Click Import to finish the process.

If any customers already exist in QuickBooks, the system will let you know and avoid creating duplicates.

Step 7: Verify and Edit Your Customers

Once the upload is complete, head back to the Customers section in QuickBooks to confirm that your new customers appear in the list.

To edit a customer:

1. Click on the customer’s name.
2. Select Edit and update their details as needed.
3. Click Save and Close.

Final Thoughts

Adding a single customer in QuickBooks is fine when you’re just starting out. But when you need to create multiple customers at once, using the bulk upload feature is a game-changer.

In less than five minutes, you’ll have a fully updated customer list—without the tedious manual entry.

Ready to save time and make QuickBooks work for you? Try bulk uploading your customer list today!